Grim
by Shreddicus
Summary: Ive experienced literal Hell being trained by Death himself. I am a Reaper. HE made me into one against my will. One day I ran away from it all in order to start a new. So now Ive spent the last 2 years hunting demonic presences to only find out that it was all futile. Im now at the mercy of the Teen Titans. Can they help me? My name is Grim and this is my life. OC.Possible romance
1. Chapter 1: Grim Beginnings

**A new idea for a multi-chapter series that I had in my head for a looooooong time. This is my second Fanfic and I hope you all like this chapter with more to come! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans… I guess some dreams don't come true. **

**Grim**

**Chapter 1: Grim beginnings**

(XxX)

It has been two whole years of nothing but relentless wandering about this Star-Spangled country, from sea to dismal sea. Two whole years since I ran away from Death's side. Two whole years without sleep. Cursed to wander the ends of the world for the rest of my days with no rest for, "betraying" my so called, "master." On the other hand, I don't have to wander if I don't want to but what's the point in staying in one place when you can't sleep and every Tom, Dick, and Harry rejects you, being labeled as a freak. A demon. Can't blame them, though. I mean, who would want a teenager with piercing red eyes, along with, black tar as the whites of your eyes in your town? No one. I even went as far as to try to get some sort of salvation from the "big man upstairs" but I can't get within a 20 yard radius of a church without someone trying to "Damn me back from whence I came." No. The only escape from all the gapes and glares is this large, beaked tipped leather hood that shadows out my entire face. It serves as a mask, a shield to protect me from the sea of judging faces. Attached, is my leather jacket.. Guilty pleasure, I suppose. Besides, it's perfect and socially acceptable.

I have been roaming around aimlessly running away from, well, everything but those years didn't go to waste. I've spent these two years trying to right my wrongs, trying to use my hellish power to do some good in this world for a change. I've spent 4 long years a slave to Death, helping him harvest the souls of the innocent to spread grief and hatred in the aid to Lucifer down below. Armed with the cursed power of overwhelming darkness and hellfire; I've tracked and hunted down some of the unshackled demons that have been secretly terrorizing the people of earth for the past few millennia. In all my travels and demon hunting, my efforts have led me to the ever so famous, Jump City. Home to its fearless and famous protectors, the Teen Titans, along with some of the city's most dangerous criminals. A perfect place for demonic activity to take place. I'm here in the city because, I've received a note from an anonymous tipper in Gotham City about a satanic cult trying to summon a demon lord known as, Zoulthiem. When I heard that terrible name, I immediately began to tremble. Zoulthiem is a powerful demon lord who has laid waste to several inter-dimensional worlds, and for him to come to Earth would be extremely bad news, to say the least. The note being complete with a time and address I had to get to Jump City ASAP… It wasn't until I got to the address, which is an abandoned storage building, is when I realized that.. That I had been a fool… I was being led into a trap all along. It was all just one big cover up. I should've known but not once did I question who this anonymous tipper in Gotham was. I was too shocked at the news that, "Zoulthiem is coming!" to even investigate the source. For one, there are only a handful of people or entities that even know _**who**_ Zoulthiem is and none of them good. And two… In the note, the Unknown tipper called me Grim… Only one, twisted, vile, despicable, no good literal bag of bones knows me by that alias… It wasn't until I was staring face to skull with **Him** that I realized just how naïve I am. Two years of running… Pointless.

(XxX)

"It has been awhile hasn't it.. Grim?" Death spoke in a most unearthly grave tone.

He and I are standing in the middle of a completely empty abandoned warehouse under a single dangling light. Death is just as you'd imagined he'd look. At least six and a half feet tall, draped in a haunting black cloak, complete with the hood covering his awful boney face. In his right skeletal hand is his infamous scythe, which looks like an abnormally lengthy spinal cord complete with the unnerving sickle. I couldn't help but shudder when I caught sight of my reflection staring back at me in the blade of the Reapers' scythe.

"After two wasted years of senseless running only for you to be so easily caught now" Death mused.

I finally came out of my shock and took a defensive stance. "..Something tells me you've always known where I was" I said sternly.

"Oh, don't insult me. Of course I've always known, you idiot child. It's my job to know where everyone is." He sneered.

"Then why?! Why let me escape!? I demand to know!"

Death then let out a long eerie, yet, booming laugh that shook my very bones and had caused the single light above our heads to flicker. "Who said you ever truly escaped? You are and always have been mine." He said as he clenched his boney left fist, gesturing that I am his.

I just looked at him dumbfounded, not understanding what he's getting at. "What do you m-mean?" my voice trembled.

"You've been aiding me more than you have realized, Jack Freeman."

I winced at the use of my full name.

"All that you've done under my tutelage has always been for a much greater plan." Death began walking around me in a circle as he continued to speak in his demonic toned dissonance. "A plan that Lucifer himself has been overseeing for a _long _time now."

I never left his soul glaring gaze as he continued to circle around me like a vulture waiting to swoop down to its meal below. "_A plan?" _I thought, _"But meeting him so long ago was a complete-"_

"Coincidence?" He spoke, finishing my thought.

"How did you-"

"Meeting me wasn't a _coincidence_, Jack. You're mom dying from cancer before your eyes wasn't a coincidence either. I knew that you'd gladly give me your life in order to save your only parent, your only loved one."

I broke his gaze to look at the grey granite floor below, desperately trying to hold back tears.

"..Shut up."

" It was too easy from the start… You had to leave it all behind, including your only friend who ever cared about you." Death always had enjoyed torturing the minds of others. "You left without saying goodbye and you ended up hurting everyone you loved, heh. Even for someone like me, that's cold."

"Just shut up." A few tears like gasoline dripped to the floor.

"But that's the thing about destiny. It's always easy because, after all, it's already written in stone."

My head shot back up to only realize that he's been towering over me. I am immediately entranced from gazing square up into the two black voids of where Deaths' eyes should be.

My breath quickens knowing that there is only one thing to ask now but I'm afraid to give in. It can't be helped.

"W-what destiny?" I reluctantly asked.

Death firmly placed his unnaturally cold left hand on my right shoulder. "Congratulations, Jack. You're Lucifer's vessel. You're the Anti-Christ."

His grip tightened and began to burn.

Then I saw it.

A vision crept over me like a jump scare from a horror film. I began to see images of me taking over this world, turning everything into a literal Hell on Earth. Crimson skies with the clashing amber of burning buildings and lava flowing landscapes. Demons of your worst nightmares running ramped, attacking the weeping and gnashing of teeth. A world no longer filled with hope nor solace. Just death, disarray, and eternal darkness.

What I witnessed are all the things that are to come to pass but not if I could help it.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I jumped away from Deaths grasp. "I won't let this happen! I WON'T!"

In absolute rage and fear, I summoned an explosion of hellfire from deep within the darkness of my soul and which caused a blast radius strong enough to collapse this rickety old building over our heads.

(XxX)

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos… Azarath Metrion Zinthos…"

"Ohhh, Raaaaaeeeee" Said a green young lad in a sing songy tone, waving his gloved hand in the face of a floating, chanting sorceress.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos…"

"Ohhhhhh, Raaaaaaaaeeeeeeee" He pestered.

"Azarath Metrio-"

"Rae.."

"Zintherath- Zin-Ugh! WHAT IN AZAR DO YOU WANT!?" Ravens' eyes snapped open into an angry white as Cyborg's sizzling ribs, which he's cooking in the kitchen, then exploded from the pan into his robotic face.

A silhouette of Ravens' shadow covered Beast Boy as she towered over him.

Beast Boy chuckled nervously doing his best to not show his fear but failing miserably. Scratching the back of his head, "Heh, w-what do you get when you cross a raven with a mad dog?" Beast Boy then morphs into a little bulldog and growls ferociously.

Raven just angrily stares at him and is fuming over his utter audacity to cross her, yet again, with another one of his futile attempts to make her laugh at his stupid jokes.

"Hm, gee, I don't know? What's green, dumb, and IS THE PRIME DIFFINITION OF ANNOYANCE!? RIDDLE ME THAT!" the dark sorceress yelled.

A drop of sweat fell from the young changeling's brow as he maintained a nervous grin, "Heheh, I asked y-you first?"

**BZZRT BZZRT BZZRT**

I guess you could say that Beast Boy is one lucky idiot because, the Titan alarm came just in time to save his life.

Robin suddenly came through the door into the common room with Starfire following close behind.

"Trouble!" Robin exclaimed.

"Oh, that's great, boy detective! What was your first clue?.." Raven sarcastically said in her classic stoic expression, though, a little disappointed that her plans to send Beast Boy to a different dimension had been put on hold.

Everyone followed close to Robin as he began to search the crime alert on the Titans computer.

Ignoring Raven's smart remark, "There appears to be some sort of disturbance in the slums. Report says that there was some kind of explosion." Robin then moved away from the computer to face his team.

"Titans, Go!" He commanded.

The Titans began flooding out of the room. Beast Boy fell a little behind in the group so he didn't have to be close to Raven. He doesn't want to die just yet. Cyborg fell back a bit for his buddy to ketch up to him.

"So, I've been wonderin'" Cy began.

Beast Boy looked up to his metallic friend, "yeah?"

"What _do_ you get when you cross a raven with a mad dog?" Cyborg laughed.

The green teen smiled, "Heh, a ravin' lunatic!"

(XxX)

"Oof!" is what came out after I'd just been slammed into a cement wall after being picked up and thrown across the street by a shadow like appendage.

The entire block became an intense battlefield, full of burning debris to torn up roads and sidewalks. I had been managing well by myself but Death is relentlessly strong for an ancient skeleton. It's also a bit disorienting, as well as, unfair that he's summoned a few undead possessed by demons to his aid.

As I sat there dazed against the wall after hitting it hard, I looked up to see seven of the undead charging up to me. I let the closest one get a just few feet closer to me before I made my move. Once in proximity, I leapt up off the ground to meet my first victim. I grabbed the decaying man by his right arm with my left hand as I also grabbed hold of his collar from behind his head with my right and used his momentum to cave his head into the cement wall of the building behind me. Acting quickly, I wall jumped off the building back into the fray of the walking dead, landing perfectly on top of another zombie, crushing its head once it hit the pavement. Death saw a perfect opening to strike and shot a ghastly green arc of lighting from his scythe in my direction. Luckily, I anticipated this and missed the attack by encompassing myself in flames to turn my physical appearance into a cloud of smoke. The menacing lightning passed right through me without harm and struck Deaths' remaining horde of demon possessed zombies instead; shorting out whatever brains they had left. I minimized the size of the cloud of smoke 'till it lit back ablaze to which then reappeared my physical body.

"Don't look so surprised, 'master,' after all, you're the one who gave me these powers." I said feeling somewhat pleased with myself.

Death chuckled, "I'm not surprised at all. It's just about what I'd expect from you. Weak."

"Weak?"

"Why, it's true that you have my powers, the very same, but you'll never be able to tap into your potential and beat me if you can't rid yourself from the fear of wielding your own scythe."

"Yeah, but it's because of that fear that is keeping me from becoming like you!" I fought back.

"Silly boy… You're becoming more and more like me than you even realize" He spoke in a grave cryptic manner. "Ever think you enjoy the thrill of battle a little too much?"

I just stared at him confused.

He reached out with his left boney hand and pointed behind me. "Look."

I looked behind me and to my absolute horror, I no longer saw the bodies of undead zombies but of what were once living civilians. There flesh were fresh and no signs of decay. Death must've played some illusion on me thinking I was seeing undead. But what happened next was truly frightening. I began to see ghostly like images exiting their fallen bodies. Their spirits. Then, it was like a vortex were sucking them into something and that something was me. Their very spirits clung to me and absorbed into me. I felt dazed at first… Dazed just like any other time I reaped someone in the past. I felt.. Darker. As if my very skin grew paler.

"Lucifer needs an absolute corrupt body." The Reaper said. "All the spirits that we've reaped together were aaall for the sake of making you the perfect conduit for his taking."

I could feel my hands shaking.

"I let you go when you went rouge, knowing very well that you'd hunt evil spirits only furthering your tainted development."

My hands clenched. "Damn it." I said under my breath. I had enough. If drawing my scythe will be enough to destroy him, then so be it. I reached out with my right hand and summoned forth out of darkness an ebony spinal cord staff, cold to the touch, complete with its own gleaming, soul screaming, sickle.

"..So you finally decided to accept who you are?" Deaths voice got deeper.

"Only to stop you!" I shouted in anger.

"Heheh, good enough for me. In which case, I'll take my leave."

Death then seemed to descend down into what closely resembles seeping black tar and then vanishes.

I jumped after him, slashing with my scythe but it was too late. He's gone.

"What in the name of!?" Said a voice

I stood up frantically and quickly turned around to face the voice I heard. What I saw before me are five battle ready teens that are about my age with the look of horror and confusion of the dead bodies that are laid out scattered around the area.

The spikey haired kid, clad in red and green in front, stepped forward, drawing to what appears to be a metal bo-staff.

"Identify yourself!" Commanded to whom I deduced to be the leader. "Why did you kill all these people!?"

It wasn't until then that I realized how wrong this must've all looked. Here I am with an eerie demeanor wielding a scythe with the innocent deceased laying around. To appear that I mean no harm (and I don't), I send my scythe back into the void from where it came and put both my hands up.

I try to find the right words to speak, "I-I know this looks bad but I've been set up, I swear!"

"Dude, that's what they all say!" Said the green skinned pterodactyl that then morphed into a human lad who seems to be the shortest out of the group.

"Look I know it's all hard to believe right now but I can explain-"Then it donned on me who these people are. "You're the Teen Titans, correct?" I queried as I got a better look at them. A half robotic man who seems to be doing something with his scanners, an orange skinned girl with blazing red hair and glowing green eyes, and a blue cloaked girl, a sorceress by the looks of it. Hence the black energy emitting from her hands. Out of everyone, she's giving me the hardest stare.

"Yes, but you still didn't tell us who you are." Stated the leader whose features softened a bit seeing how I'm not going to fight.

"He's very bad news Robin." Said the hooded girl in a cracking monotone voice. "I can practically feel demonic energy radiating off of him."

Yup, she knows who I am but she doesn't know what I am.

"My name is.. Well.. You can call me Grim." I deadpanned, knowing how that name is only going to raise more questions.

"…Like, the Grim Reaper?" Said the metallic man.

Bingo. "No, I'm not _the _Grim. Though, I am unfortunately affiliated with him." I look to the side gathering my thoughts.

The Titans began looking at each other in surprise that they're dealing with a "possible agent of Death" or so that's what it would seem. However, the blue clad young woman continued to glare at me through her hood.

"Well, _Grim, _you have a **lot** of explaining to do for this slaughter out on the street and you will answer for it." The Boy Wonder grimaced. "You're coming with us and you **will** be interrogated. Will you come quietly?" I had no choice but to comply. I had no interest in running (again) nor to fight. I nodded.

The sorceress looked towards her leader with a look on her face that said, '_Are you out of your mind!?' _

**I hope you all liked the first chapter to what I hope to be a great series. I will do my best to post new chapters regularly. So it looks like Grim is going to be interrogated by Robin. How will Grim be able to convince them that he's a good guy? I guess we'll find out more next time! It would help out a lot if you all could leave a Review and tell me your thoughts. This way, I can see what you guys like and don't like. Plus it helps me write faster because Reviews also help inspire me to work faster to get more chapters out. 'Till next time, peace!**


	2. Chapter 2: Good cop Bad cop

**Hey guys! Sorry for the late update but here we finally are! First off I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited the story so far! Furthermore, I'd like to thank Ophelia'song for her support and insight in helping me when I had hit a couple of roadblocks in the process of writing this chapter. She's an amazing person, friend, as well as, an amazing writer and I encourage everyone to check out her Teen Titans Fanfic stories! They are amazing reads!**

**Throughout the entire story, as I continue to write it, I do go back and forth between 1****st**** person and 3****rd**** person from time to time. Just a fair warning so nobody gets confused. Now let's get to it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans in any shape or form….But that would be freakin' awesome, though..**

**Chapter 2: Good cop/Bad cop**

(XxX)

"Are you out of your mind!?" Scolded Raven to Robin's face.

The Titans were just outside of their Towers' own interrogation chamber which is a room that is comprised of two rooms. First is the observational room which has recording equipment, surveillance computers, and vital sign scanners. The room is complete with the center one-way mirror which peers into the bland interrogation chamber itself which is outfitted with irritable fluorescent lighting, a rectangle steel table, a couple of steel chairs, and one seated captive: Grim. Once the team had got back to the Tower and led Grim into the chamber, Raven had to finally let out her frustration on the team's credulous leader, regarding his choice of action.

"Hey, whoa, calm down, Raven," Suggested a confused Robin, wondering about what the instantaneous uproar could be about. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Problem!?" Scoffed Raven. "The _problem _is that you just allowed a **reaper**, of _all_ things, into the Tower and you don't even know what he is or what he's capable of! What if it was his plan to get caught in the first place!?"

Starfire stepped to Robins' side, "Surely Robin wouldn't have done something like this and not have the reason for it, friend Raven." The sweet alien reassured her. Raven, however, only saw this as Starfire taking her _beloveds'_ side of things. Raven glared at the fiery haired girl causing her to "Eep" and hide behind Robin's cape.

Robin put his hands out in front of him, "It'll be okay, Raven. I have it under control," he reassured. "I have my reasons." The demoness crossed her arms and just stared unconvincingly at the boy wonder. Seeing how Raven wanted a direct answer, he continued. "Okay, first of all, Grim claims that this is all a huge misunderstanding; I want to hear him out. Second of all, I didn't just want to hand him over, a supposedly all powerful being, to the police without him being properly looked over. Besides, if he does try anything, we're the Teen Titans! We can take him down." He finished with hammering his right fist into his left palm.

"You frighten me, Robin…Truly." She said in a sarcastic monotone.

"Either way, lives were lost tonight and I intend to get to the bottom of it!" Proclaimed the determined boy detective.

"Well if anyone is freaking me out right now, it's definitely this dude." Beast Boy nervously chuckled as he stood gaping at their stagnant prisoner from the glass. "Like, he's just sitting there like a statue," He added.

Starfire looked from over her boyfriends' shoulder with curious eyes, "Is he.. Unwell?"

"All his vital signs seem to be normal from what I can tell." Said Cyborg from the computer desk.

Raven's eyes widen with realization, "I didn't notice it before, but I'm not sensing any emotional activity off of him with my powers. He's completely closed off."

"Hm." Is all Robin said while stroking his chin, "Anything else you can tell, Cyborg?"

"He's breathing, for one, and-"He stopped for a moment as something has caught the robotic mans' eyes whilst looking through surveillance footage on a different monitor. "Uh, Robin, you need to see this.." Robin and Raven walked over to Cyborgs' side.

"What is it?" Questioned the masked leader.

"I found surveillance footage from a mounted security camera, from a building, that captured the events that our new _friend_ was in." They kept quite as they, along with the other Titans, watched. The others viewed from separate monitors.

The black and white footage showed snippets of a fight between what seems to be their said convict, Grim, facing off against an unknown cloaked man with a scythe. During the fight, the cloaked being summoned a group of what closely resembled spirits of some kind but quickly scattered, leaving the given area. Before long, zombie looking creatures began to appear on camera to aid the dark, scythe wielding entity. The Titans observed closely as Grim fought merely two of the small hoard, only for the mysterious man to unintentionally kill off what remained. Eventually, the two topped fighting long enough to face each other for a moment. There wasn't any audio to be heard from the video but they deduced that the two were conversing with each other hence why they suddenly stood static, facing each other. Then, Grim turned facing the unearthly looking bodies as they began to change into normal looking people. Robin began to rub his chin as he then figured out why Grim said that, _"It wasn't what it seemed."_ The team watched as the spirits, that they saw before, exit the fallen bodies and, for whatever reason, entered Grim's own body. Soon the cloaked man disappeared after Grim drew his own scythe. Cyborg stopped the video as the team began to see themselves appear on screen.

Everyone kept silent for a moment until Beast Boy spoke up, "Soo.. What does this mean?" The changeling asked with a look of uncertainty on his face.

"It means…" Robin paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "It means, that our friend here is perhaps telling the truth." Raven turned her head towards Robin and stared at him with disproving eyes.

"So Grim is the blameless?" Starfire asked hopefully.

"_Innocent_, Star, and yes, I believe so but I'm still going to speak with him. I still have some questions that I need answered." Robin walked towards the chamber door.

"Wait, I'm going in with you." Raven hurried near Robin with an intense look of, _"Don't try to stop me,"_ on her face.

Rather than stopping her, Robin concluded that it is probably for the best the she'd come along. If anyone knew anything about the supernatural, it's Raven.

(XxX)

How much time has passed? Seconds? Minutes? Hours, even? Time felt like it stood still as I'm sitting here in this annoyingly bright room with my own reflection in the one-way mirror as my only company. But the further I kept staring at myself, the more entranced I began to feel from the duplicate before me. Soon it felt like it was only **him** who is starring back. The room felt like it began to dim darker and darker all around me, yet, the image in front stayed completely visible. I started to wonder that this is how he always knew where I was or that he's been following me all this time through a reflection.

"_Silly boy… You're becoming more and more like me than you even realize." _Death's words echoed throughout my head like a bad migraine.

Perhaps… Maybe I am becoming more and more like him. Always seeing more of him than myself whenever I stare into a mirror.. I hate that man looking back at me.. I wish he would just disappear..

Reality tore me away from my thoughts as I heard the metal door slide open, revealing the team's leader and the hooded sorceress from before.

"Grim, was it?" Questioned the masked hero.

I respond with just nodding my head.

I watch as he began to sit down in the steel chair across the table from me. The hooded girl stayed behind with her back against the wall and her arms crossed.

"Well, I guess there are introductions to be in order. My name is, Robin and I'm the leader of this team. The lovely teammate behind me is, Raven." She let out an annoyed sigh at his comment and although she's wearing her hood; I could feel her eyes glaring at me.

"Where are the others?" I couldn't help but to ask.

"The others are currently on the other room, monitoring our conversation." He said pointing behind him with his thumb. "Now, before we begin, if you wouldn't mind, will you please remove your hood? I need to be able to see your face so that way, I can be assured that you aren't hiding anything."

I began to feel tense as my cuffed hands shot to my hood. I don't like anyone seeing my face. I have had too many people be startled and run away at the very sight of me. I hesitated but I complied. I slowly let down the black leather hood from my head, feeling more exposed than ever. Their reactions were subtle but I noticed Robin raising an eyebrow and Raven's head lowered a bit. I turned my gaze back to the mirror to get a better look at the so called _monster_ that they are witnessing. To be honest, I've almost forgotten what I look like, I mean, I'm always wearing my hood and you could never see my face but, rather, just a shadowy void. Yet, the image is just what I'd expect it would be: a simple deathly pale white face, with two black eyes with piercing blood red irises, and messy black, medium length hair. I gaze monotonously back at Robin who's been staring as if he was studying me.

"..What?" I deadpanned.

Robin nervously chuckled, "Honestly, I kinda expected to see a skull starring back at me," he admitted. I raise an eyebrow and outstretched my cuffed, fingerless black gloved hands to his sight.

"You're the one who cuffed my hands. See? Normal fingers, not bone." I rolled my eyes.

He laughs, "I see. But I don't see why you should have the cuffs on any longer." Robin then goes to his belt and pulls out a small key and then reaches over to uncuff my wrists. I could tell that Raven was feeling uneasy about me being loose from the bindings.

Despite whatever she may think, a feeling of satisfaction sweeps over me due to the fact that the cuffs have been bothering my wrists. Thus far, Robin isn't so bad. I had half expected him to go absolutely ballistic over the people that were killed today and toss me around the room but he's actually a cool, calm collected guy. I suppose he knows something that I don't is why he's being easy with me. That girl, however, looks like she wants my head on a pike.

"I'm gunna go ahead and tell you now," Robin began, "That I believe you are innocent of the murders of the civilians earlier."

I just stare at him shocked, "..What?"

"What!?" Raven I practically say at the same time.

Robin turned to face Raven who is now stepping toward the table, "What do you mean, _what_? You saw the footage, it wasn't his fault!" He raised his voice, gesturing towards me.

My eyes widened with surprise, "Wait, footage? What footage?" I asked still dumbfounded, yet, this answers my previous question.

Robin then went on and told me that there was a surveillance camera at the scene that caught the whole fight. Supposedly, while I was being knocked around left and right; I had somehow missed Death summoning forth demons that later came back as those zombies that I only took out a couple of. Which.. Unfortunately turned out to be civilians once they had been killed off and resumed their natural form.

I slowly began to nod my head, taking in all that he had voiced me. "But.. I killed two of them.." I said as I gazed off into the corner behind Robin.

Robin shook his head, "Yeah, but they were already zombies when they were attacking you. Sadly, I believe they were already dead the moment they got possessed.. Is that possible?" He queried.

I look up at Raven and then back to Robin, "I personally didn't notice **him** dispatching the demons.. I missed that part. All I know is that I was being knocked around like a ragdoll for a bit and then those undead looking beings showed up," I honestly stated. "But depending how powerful those demons were, they could potentially kill a person upon possessing the body if they weren't careful. In this case, they weren't." I added, matter-of-factly.

Robin nods with understanding but then I see his mask squint slightly, "Which brings me to my next question."

My head tilted to signal him to continue.

"Who's that guy you were fighting? I mean, who's, **him**?"

I notice Raven crossing her arms the split second the question was posed. I suspect she already knows very well who **he **is.

My eyes narrow, "I think you already know the answer to that question.. He's exactly who you think he is."

"You mean, he's the Reaper?" Robin's mask widens. Though, I can't see her face, I assume Raven's expression stayed the same, confirming to me that she already knew.

"..He goes by a few names but all of Hell knows him best as, Death.." I look back down to the table. I swear, every time I even mention his name, it sends a shiver down my spine.

Seeing that he got a hold back on reality, he cleared his throat and continues, "So why is he hear in Jump City?" He probes but Raven immediately leans onto the table and interjects.

"More importantly, why are YOU in Jump City?" She said in a cracked patronizing tone.

Slightly startled from her sudden outburst, my eyes then shift back and forth from between the two trying to decide whose question to answer first. I look to Robin, "Well for one, Death is everywhere. He's never truly in one place." My eyes shift back to the blue clad sorceress, "And two, I was tricked to come here." I stated practically.

Robin raises an eyebrow, "Tricked? Why-_how_ were you tricked?

I outstretched my hands as a reassurance that I wasn't going to do anything stupid, then I reached to my silver chain wallet with my right hand while keeping the other raised and pulled the wallet out. Now inside my wallet, I pulled out the small crumpled note that I acquired in Gotham City.

I clear my throat to speak, "I, uh, received this note from an _anonymous _tipper when I was in Gotham a few days ago." I handed over the note to Robin as he then began to read it.

Once he looked it over, I saw his face scrunch with questions.

"Zoulthiem?" He questioned in a tone of uncertainty.

Hearing the name caused the still sorceress to jump.

"Give me that!" She quickly snatched the note out of Robins' gloved hands as she then started reading it carefully.

Seeing how she was about to jump to conclusions (also noting that she knows who Zoulthiem is); I quickly reassure her that it was a ruse to lure me into a private meeting with Death and that Zoulthiem isn't really coming. I told the two heroes that I didn't figure out that it was a trap until I was in the same open space with that damned skeleton.

"In the note, it refers to me as Grim.. No one else knows me by that except for **him** but it was my mistake that I didn't think to question it at the time." I said plainly.

"So why did he want an audience with you?" Robin asked.

I slightly gritted my teeth having hoped that he wouldn't have asked that question. It was inevitable, I suppose, but I wasn't ready to disclose that information to anyone anytime soon because, I don't want to give them anymore of a reason to think that I am a possible threat. Hell, how am I even going to explain this? _"Oh, yeah, I'm also the beloved Anti-Christ that has been foretold to bring forth the end of days and burn everyone! I hope you haven't been naughty because, I hear God is supposedly coming into town, too!" _Splendid, _that'll_ do the trick.

I sat in my seat uncomfortably trying to think of something to say but then I started hear a bit of a muffled repeating noise that I could tell would be obnoxiously loud if the door was let open slightly.

"Robin, get in here! The crime alert went off." Said a voice over an intercom that I haven't noticed.

"Alright, I'll be right there." His head turned towards his hooded teammate and nodded for her to come along.

I watched as the two ran out the sliding door to only find myself alone again with my reflection in the one-way-mirror. I let out a sigh of relief that I got lucky when that alarm went off when it did. I need to use this new found time to plan out what I'm going to say when they bring up that issue again about my little _chit-chat_ with Death because, there is no way in literal Hell that I'm going to tell them that I'm the supposed Anti-Christ. That's just a disaster waiting to happen. Suddenly again, the door slid back open revealing Robin.

"There is no reason to keep you in here anymore since you've proven innocent of the killings," he said as I gratefully got up from the hard chair and started shaking the pins and needles out of my legs. Robin gestured me to come out with him and I'm instantly greeted by the faces of the other Titans waiting in the next room.

"I will properly introduce you to the other members later but right now the crime alert went off so we have to leave to go deal with the situation." He said, speaking in his leader tone of voice. "I'm leaving Raven here to look after you while we are gone."

"What!?" Raven shrieked. "N-no! I'm not going to babysit him! What if you need me?" Raven reasoned as she glared at Robin.

The little green guy merely chuckled, "Come on, Rae, it's just Control Freak. He'll be a walk in the park, as usual." He chuckled again, sporting a toothy grin.

She began rubbing her temples to help calm herself down.

I'm honestly not to thrilled about the arrangement either, besides, I can tell she'd rather soon see me be taken away by **him** than share a room alone with poor ol' me.


	3. Chapter 3: Quality Time

**Hey, sorry guys for another late update. I've had the longest case of baaaad writers block with this chapter and I'd like thank thank THANK Ophelia'song for helping me out with this one. Could not have gotten through this without her. Seriously guys, check her out! She's truly amazing. So without further ado, let's get back to where we left off.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans in any way, shape, or form.**

**Chapter 3: Quality time**

(XxX)

"We're just gunna drop you guys off at the livin' room real quick and we'll be on our way" Said the metallic man.

As the Titans and I are fast walking through the hallways, the half robot man called, Cyborg, has been giving a mini tour of whatever we quickly passed by on our way to their living area. I marveled to myself on how massive this whole tower is. It practically has everything you could ever want in a home and then some. Once we reached and entered the common room, Raven pushed passed me and the others, moving towards the booth seats where a couple of yellow surfaced tables stood as Cyborg quickly stated that I could help myself to food or refreshments and also said that the TV remote should be on or under the couch somewhere. With that, the remaining Titans fled out the door, leaving me in the dead silent room with a girl who's most likely going to be the death of me.

I felt myself get tense as I turned around and saw her sitting at the tables glaring back at me. "This oughta be good." I thought to myself as I let out a sigh and began walking towards the couch, hoping she wouldn't say anything..

"So how has death become of you?" Raven said in a crass tone.

I stopped right in my tracks at the sound of the dark sorceress' gravelly voice. "..Damn it," I thought and turned to face her once again. "I-I'm sorry?" I said, as if I didn't hear her.

"Oh, you heard me" She said locking her violet eyes in my direction. "Don't play dumb with me, that may work on the boy blunder, but I can be, by far, your worst nightmare if I feel like you're playing me." She stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm not playing anyone." I said defensively. "If anything, I'm the one that's being played like the devil's fiddle here." I didn't mean to use an analogy like that but I guess it fits just the same.

Raven laughed gravely, "No one here is playing you, and last time I checked, I'm no fiddle player, but I can conjure the devil without playing his cord so I'd what your tune." She said snidely.

I let out a huge sigh knowing that I'm probably not going to get her to leave me alone. I carefully walk towards the table from where she's seated and I pull a chair across the table from her and sit. Avoiding her stare; I speak, "I know you guys aren't playing me; that is not what I meant." I allow myself to bravely look in those menacing eyes of hers before speaking again. "And trust me.. You're no devil."

The dark girl cracked a small wry smile, "If you met my father you'd think differently." She said resting her chin on her hand like a perch.

Intrigued, I raise an eyebrow in question. "And who might this _lucky_ father be, I dare ask?" I say in a nonchalant fashion.

Raven sat back in her chair with daggers in her eyes, "You have _not_ earned the right to ask that question, I don't even know who or what _you_ are."

I shot back the same look, "Precisely, so why the _Hell_ should I feel comfortable with wanting to answer your first question?" I stated matter-of-factly, taking note that I was able to touch a nerve with talking about her father. Obvious family issues.

"Because you are in _my_ home, so you have to play by _my_ rules, got it." Raven said, her voice dripping with venom.

I let my glare fall flat but still maintained her gaze. "Fine. So, again, what is your question?" I spoke in a monotone.

She let herself settle comfortably in her seat knowing that she could start from the top. "How did you become a reaper in the first place?" She said meeting my tone.

My eyes fell to the table as I let out a heavy sigh. Clearly, she wasn't going to make this easy for me. Having to refer back to painful and defining memories, and such. I brought my arms onto the table and clasped my hands as I gaze back up to Raven's eyes before speaking, slowly but surly. "**He**.. Found me four years ago while I was aiding my sick mother who had been battling lung cancer at the time... He appeared to me for the purpose of striking a deal that.. That if I went with him and become his, '_disciple_,' he'd spare my mother and she'd be cured of her cancer...She'd live." I look to the side not wanting to take in whatever expression she may have. It was bad enough that I was made to bring up past sins.

For a moment Raven didn't say anything, but her face read that she was in remembrance of something or someone in which allowed her features to fall a bit saddened. "That's quite horrible.. I'm sorry you were forced to go through that, but why did he pick you?" Her voice was softer now, but suspicion still clung to it like a moth to a flame.

…Great now we're back to this again. Only this time there isn't some emergency siren to save me. There is no way in Hell I'm telling anyone but.. But.. Perhaps I could talk around it. Looking back at her face there are still traces of patronizing suspicion in her eyes. Hopefully this will be enough to quell her curiosity. "..Death picked me because I had simply nothing to lose.. I mean, all I ever had was my mother. I didn't have a father growing up, he died before I was born." I paused before continuing, this never was an easy subject for me to talk about. "Money was always tight around the house, mom had to work two jobs, and.. It's because she had two work two jobs that I hardly ever got to see her during the week. I always came home from school to a sitter, whom I absolutely hated...Anyway, like I said, he chose me because I had nothing to lose and took advantage of that. I also kinda thought that I'd be doing my mother a favor by leaving. She wouldn't have to break two legs over me in order to keep food on the table. She could do what she wanted… She's far better off without me." I bring my clasped hands to my forehead in an attempt to retain my dignity and not break down.

Raven looked back at me, and for a moment, I think she may have felt sorry for me, though I didn't want her pity. "He didn't pick you because you had nothing to lose, "She said, making me furrow my brow in defeat, "He chose you because you had everything to lose."

I closed my eyes tight, not just out of relief but because it is true. I did have everything to lose. I stood from my chair, running my fingers through my unclean black hair. Still thinking about what Raven said, I stare back into her now soften violet eyes. "You're right.. I did have everything to lose." I walked slowly away from the table, towards and past the sofa, to now be standing next to the large windows before me. Peering into the night, I rake in the breathtaking view of the city as the vibrant city lights reflect off the waters of the murky bay. I stood there with my arms crossed as I capture the sight. Behind me, I can hear Raven get up from her seat, followed by light footsteps that get faintly louder as she approaches.

"The Devil only takes what he wants, and he has no use for things that are meaningless, I'm sorry...but I still don't trust you." She said gentle yet rough as the sorceress stood to my right peering out to the same view.

I let my eyes refocus from looking outside the reinforced glass to looking at my actual reflection in the window. Staring long and hard into my hellish eyes, I tried to find any possible way that even I could trust these eyes but I knew very well that there is no solace to be found in them.

"I know you don't." Breaking eye contact with my reflection, I turn to see Raven standing with her arms crossed just a couple feet away from me. "Truth is, I don't even trust myself.. It seems like my entire life is meant to be one giant screw up. I never wanted this," I said as turn back to my reflection and reached to touch my corrupted pale face. "I never wanted any of this.. You've heard the quote, 'Some men are born great, some achieve greatness and others have greatness thrust upon them?' Well.. The opposite is just as true."

"So you're quoting Shakespeare now?" She said cracking a surprised smile that I saw from observing her own image in the window. "He also said, 'what is fair is foul and what's foul is fair.'" The dark sorceress looked back at me hoping I'd understood what she meant.

I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at how fitting that was for the '_witch to say her chant_.' However there are different interpretations of that phrase that is left to the imagination to the one who reads it. "And what does that phrase mean to you?" I ask genuinely.

"That nothing is ever as it seems. Intentions can appear to be genuine, but like anything it can all just be a lie"

I stare at her, taking in all that was said. "..Sounds like you know all too well from experience." I said, studying her closely.

She looked back at me then locked back in on her reflection, "Well, sometimes we don't know ourselves as much as we think we do."

"Well, you're right about that." I said following her eyes to her mirrored self and then to my own. A moment had passed as I continued to study my reflection and in that moment, I saw myself and only myself until a unexpected image of Death pulsed over mine. Stunned, I gasped as I quickly turned away from the window and went to sit on the couch. Once sat, I rested my head in my hands as I leaned on my knees with my elbows, trying to shake the image out of my head but with no avail.

Raven looked back at me with bewilderment and if I was not mistaken, concern. "Is everything all right?" She asked following me to the couch, "You look like death."

With my head still in my hands, "You wouldn't be too far off." I said muffled, yet, clear enough for her to hear me. I lift my head up just enough to be out of my hands but still viewing the carpeted floor below. "All I ever see is Death whenever I see myself. Both metaphorically, as well as, sometimes quite literally." I let myself lean back and slump further into the over-sized sofa. "Ever since I ran away from a life of literal Hell, two years ago, I've wandered around the country trying to do some good in some attempt to offset the bad that Death had created in me against my will. But even then he still haunts me.. Of course, he didn't just let me go without giving me something to _'remember him by_.'" I chuckled a bit darkly in my own self-hatred. The dark sorceress' face scrunched a bit in confusion, waiting for me to explain. "He cursed me to never be able to sleep again as long as I lived. Forcing me to walk out the rest of my days because it was pointless to stay in one place when you're forever restless and a freak to everyone around you." I said sadly.

Raven looked away for a moment with a blank expression on her features. The room was silent for all but seven seconds before she spoke again. "Ya' know, I heard once that serial killers actually don't see the faces of their victims when they sleep but that they only see them when they're awake" she looked up at me and saw the sickness written my face, "oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that.." She looked away, slightly embarrassed.

I blinked at her a couple times, "..._What_?"

Raven looked up clearly uncomfortable, "Its just something that I read. it was stupid of me to say, I'm sorry.."

I blinked at her once more before I began to feel a smile play across my cheeks as laughter soon found me. I cover my mouth with my right hand in an attempt to silence my tiny fit of giggles. I immediately composed myself before speaking again, "Ahh, Hell. I have no idea where you were going with that but I really needed that 'piece of wisdom.'" I chuckled once more before I became completely calm again.

"Yeah that's what I do, provide people with morbid uncomfortable facts" She stated sarcastically.

"Oh, where would your team be without you?" I smiled. Raven is surprisingly not all that bad. I know she still doesn't trust me but I think if anyone of the Titans could begin to understand me, it would be her. She's just got this dark mystery about her and I can look into her eyes and know for a fact that she's seen the fires of Hell first hand, as I have. But how and why?.. It must be linked to her father that she avoided talking about but also dropped a couple of hints that made him sound like a bad guy. I take another glance at the night sky from the over-sized window. I want to get some fresh air but I think I would be pushing it if I asked to go to the roof. Couldn't hurt to try? "Would you mind if we could go to the rooftop? I would go myself but I'm sure you wouldn't want me anywhere out of your sight.. Plus, its a beautiful night out."

Raven looked out to the stars that shined in great beauty, "Well, your right about two things."

"Mm." I smiled slightly. "So shall we?" asking once more while standing.

Raven rolled her eyes, "I guess, but if you try anything I'll throw you off the roof got it?"

"..I could just fly an- oh never mind. You have my word.. Lead the wa-" suddenly, everything went black as Raven summoned her dark energy and encompassed the both of us in the black abyss. A short second later and we are on the rooftop greeted by a multitude of stars and the ever so bright and shinning moon. "-..Way.." I managed to finish. I approached the edge of the roof, while hearing Raven following close behind me, until I then sit down, cross legged, at the edge.

"You're right, it is a beautiful night" she said looking up into the moonscape above. "I wonder how the others are doing."

"Well, the green guy made it sound like this maniac is no big of a problem." I shrugged as I reach inside my jacket pocket and pull out a pack of cigarettes and a silver flip lighter. Extracting a cig from the box, I place it in between my teeth and swiftly light it, taking in the smoke and then slowly exhaling it into the air.

"Yeah Beast Boy may be an idiot but he's right about Control Freak, he's about as tough as day old kittens." She said deadpanned but her face started to scrunch into a distasteful look. She's probably smelling the tobacco from the cigarette. She turned her head to look at me and then to find her suspicion confirmed.

I exhale more smoke to the wind away from us. "An idiot, huh? What, you don't like him or something?" I ask before taking another drag.

"No, I like Beast Boy just fine, but his jokes are horrible" she said leaning against the ledge. "So I take it immortality leaves you with little concern for all the things that would kill you otherwise?" She said in a a slight judging tone.

"..Hm?" Was all I could manage out until I removed the cig from my mouth. Then I realized what she was talking about. "Oh, um, no. Well, first off, I'm not immortal. My mother actually was, or perhaps still is, a heavy smoker. That's also how she got lung cancer in the first place.. However, my case is different, I know for a fact that I can do this and not eventually die from it. Believe me, my body is far beyond screwed up, inside and out already. It's because of my powers that are keeping me alive. It's how I was able to survive living in Hell for two years." With that, I take out another cig as my current one is coming to a rapid end.

Raven looked out to the bay, my cigarette became in cased in a black energy and was removed from my hand. I watch it in surprise as it traced away from me and into Ravens thin hand. "So I take it this chain smoking is just wishful thinking then?" She said breaking the object in two, filling the air with the scent of tobacco.

I sighed and stood up, brushing the dirt that I might have been sitting in off of the back of my pants. "I do it because it's the only thing that keeps me close to my mother." I leaned towards the edge next to Raven with the box of cigarettes still in my hands, as I then examine the box. "Newports are or _were_ her favorite.. I don't know where she is right now but after four years, she must believe me dead by now. Best for it to stay that way." I put the box back in my jacket pocket as I then start to play with my silver wallet chain that reached to my right knee.

"At least you know she's out there" Raven said as she watched me "but I can understand how something so simple can keep someone alive"

A small smile plays across my face. "Yeah.." I turned my head to look at her. "So what can you tell me about yourself? I'm sorry if that's asking a bit much." I said, the small smile never leaving my lips.

"All you need to know is my friends are everything to me" she said looking me in the eye "they're all that matters."

Hearing her words as complete genuine, my stare did not fall from her protective gaze and my smile did not falter. "Good. They're clearly your family and there is nothing greater than that." I said a bit sadly.

She looked at me skeptically and before she could speak, a jingle like beeping sound came from her person, startling both her and myself. "Speaking of friends." She said ironically, as she slipped out a round yellow device from her belt and flipped it open. The light, from what I suppose was a screen on the inside of the devise, lit up her features.

"Yes, boy blunder?" She said into the communicator.

"Raven we really could use your help with taking down Control Freak, right about now." Robin's voice on the other end sounded tense, along with the sound of the action that is going on in the background. "We're at the Jump cinema, he's.. Well.. You'll see when you get here."

She nodded her head, "Okay, but what about Grim?" She said, pointing at me.

"Good idea, bring him with you. He could help too."

"It wasn't an ide-.." She sighed. "Okay fine. We'll be there shortly." The irritated blue clad girl then snapped her communicator shut and looked at me.

"Alright, listen up. We're going to help my friends stop Control Freak. If you so much as do _anything_ that puts them further in danger, there will be **Hell** to pay, do I make myself clear?"

Rather than making a sarcastic remark about having paid my debt in full, I simply raise my right hand in reassurance. "You have my word, Raven."

The sorceress looked me over from top to bottom to find a shred of dishonesty. She found none. "Okay. You said that you can you fly right?" She questioned as she started to levitate a bit off the edge of the roof.

"Don't worry about me, I'll keep up." I pull up my hood, manipulating the shadows to completely shade my face out from view and then utilize my power to burn over my body, turning my physical form into a slight transparent smoke texture that allows me to be lighter than air, more than capable of flight.

With that, Raven and I fly off across the dark and murky bay and into the city in our efforts to help take the Titan's adversary down.


End file.
